Teaching Black History Month: A New Approach

Many people teach Black History Month in the same way every year: they read about Martin Luther King, Jr. and other famous African-American civil rights leaders, inventors, statesmen, athletes, and artists.

There is nothing wrong with that approach, but the rest of the year teachers are reading books about (mostly) white people who live ordinary lives: kids who go to the playground or the library, parents who guide their children, students who overcome a fear or cope with a new school.

Kids Next Door

Maybe we can (sometimes) approach Black History Month in a new way: just by reading about African-Americans who are living ordinary lives.
There are (thankfully) a number of books with Black characters that any child can relate to. They are just like the kid next door.

But, you may also want to teach about the leaders in African-American history. I have a fun PowerPoint quiz game on Teachers pay Teachers to do just that: Black History Month Game.

Or maybe you would like a BOOM Card deck. They are digital task cards hosted on the BOOM Learning website.

Famous People in Black History BOOM Cards

Does your library have a subscription to the database Pebble Go? I also have some easy research packets, including one on Black History Month, that use that database: Black History Month in Pebble Go.

Try this new approach! You will be integrating Black History all year, instead of for one month only.

Sign up for email and blog updates. Receive this free activity as a thank you!